Seal-press



J.- M. HARD-ING. Seal-Press.4

No. 227.5222. Patentedv May 11,1so;

.www Mak im WW Fig- Nw* UNITED STATES QPATENT OFFICE.

J. MORRIS HARDING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SEAL-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 227,522, dated May 11,1880. Application led February 24, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJ. MORRIS HAEDING, of Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inSeal-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to seal-presses commonly used by notaries andsecretaries of corporations; and it consists in attaching the male andfemale dies respectively to a pair of levers having a common fulcrum;and, further, in supplyingthe endsof the levers with a suitable lockingdevice, whereby the levers, after the dies have been brought together,are locked, and then the seal cannot be used.

My invention consists, further, in attaching to such a press, and incombination with it, the necessary parts to punch a hole through anumber of sheets of paper and apply a fastener to said paper.

rPhe object of my invention is to dispense with the costly notarialpresses now so commonly used 5 and, further, to make a press of such asize and shape and of such light weight that it can be carried in thepocket.

The notarial presses now used are so large and cumbersome that when anotary is called to a distant ofce to swear a deponent or other personhe is obliged to carry this weighty piece of mechanism in his arms.

By the construction shown and claimed by me the press is so small andlight and of such y convenient shape that it can be carried in thepocket without any inconvenience whatever.

My object is, further, to provide a party using such a press with thenecessary means whereby he can secure the sheets of paper together afterhaving taken the deposition or testimony. This press is also applicableto stamp light foil-metal plates for advertisement and then punch a holein the same wherewith it can be secured to merchandise. .It can be usedfor the same purpose that any of the regular hand-seal presses are used,and with its combination it can be used for nearly any kind ofpaper-fastener.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seal-press whenlocked embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of samethrough line x x, Fig. l, showing the paper-fastener lever which isattached to the upper lever of the press in the position for stampingahole through several sheets of paper. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation ofsame through line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a front elevation of same.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fastener-lever-holding device.

A and B are the twolevers ofthe press, having a common fulcrum on thepin (l. rIhe shorter levers or jaws D and E of the levers have solderedor otherwise secured to them the male and female dies F and G.

Situated behind the die F, and pivoted to the jaw D by screw H, is thelever I, which has secured to it and carries on either end part of thepaper-fastening mechanism. This lever I is slightly curved upward, so asto act as a spring to itself and hold its position, When placed in theposition shown in Fig. 2, in which it rests against the die F, or whenthe other end is brought over its respective hole.

Situated on either side of the die G, and forming part of the jaw E, areprojections J and K, provided with holes which extend from top tobottom.

Secured to either end of the lever I are projecting pins L M, which,when brought over their coresponding holes in projections J and K,either form a paper punch or clamp for fastening in a metallic eye orother paper-fastener. rlhe pin L and perforated projection J cut thehole in the paper, and the pin M and perforated projection K fasten theclamp in such holes. l

On either side of the die F are extended portions O P of the lever orjaw D, Which, when the ends of the lever I are brought over theirrespective projections and holes, press 'the pins downward and relievethe lever I from all work save holding its pins in a vertical positionand guiding them over their respective holes.

Hinged or otherwise secured to the end of one of the levers A or B is alocking device,-

N, which, when these levers are brought t0- gether, locks them, therebypreventing the seal being used except by the party to whom it belongs;or it prevents the faces of the dies being defaced by opening in thepocket and rubbing against anything hard or sharp.

In some eases it need hardly be necessary to lock the levers together,and in those cases IOO I only use the spring-catch without the lock; butwhen the seal belongs to some corporation, or when the impression couldeasily produce fraud, it becomes necessary to use precaution, and inthese enses I always supply the catch with a locking device of somekind. The lock shown in the drawings is to be opened by aJ key; but, ifpreferred, I can useany of the combination -locks now in common use. Thelever I may be held in the proper position for fastening pepers by theknife-edge i engaging in recess 0.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. As a new article of manufacture, a sealset my hand.

J. MORRIS HARDING. Witnesses:

GEo. B. THATCHER, CHARLES E. BAKER.

